


Unexpected

by SoulRaider116



Category: Skip Beat!
Genre: Awkward Yashiro, Emboldened Ren, F/M, Flustered Kyoko, Slowly-Crumbling-Illusion-of-Deniability Kyoko, Teasing Ren, Tsundere Kanae, Yashiro/Kanae focus, Yoyo Ren/Kyoko
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-27 08:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8394940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulRaider116/pseuds/SoulRaider116
Summary: All Yashiro wanted was to give Ren some time alone with Kyoko. Now it seems that he, Yashiro Yukihito, is having alone time too; with none other than chilly beauty Kotonami Kanae. It wasn't part of the plan, and neither was starting to fall for her! 
Now Ren is going to hold it over him forever. And it's not like a boring manager has any chance with a stunning talento eight years younger than him! 
Will watching his friend and manager struggle through the familiar challenge of loving a LoveMe prompt Ren to move forward in his own pursuit of romance? Will facing his own difficulties with a stubborn crush mellow Yashiro's inner fan girl? 
Will Kanae be swayed to see the bespectacled man as more that a weird matchmaker aiding in the theft of her best friend? Will Kyoko finally realize what Ren is feeling, and that she is possibly harboring the same feelings?
[Note: When I started writing this. I hadn't finished the Valentine's arc. As such, it diverges from canon right after Valentine's (Volume 24/25) and becomes rather AU. Sorry-ish.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *I originally began this story a couple years ago. Setsu and Cain will not be appearing, as the divergence from canon happens before then.
> 
> *The primary focus of this story is meant to be Yashiro/Kanae. Ren and Kyoko will be present in healthy amounts as well though.

Yashiro watched in mild amusement as Mogami Kyoko dropped into a dogeza bow on the floor before his charge, Tsuruga Ren. The latter was trying to assure her, as usual, that she had nothing to apologize for, but she just kept babbling about how sorry she was, and what an unworthy kouhai she was.

“Tsuruga-san, I am so terrible, running into you like that! I could have knocked you down and seriously injured you! It’s unforgivable!” She was practically in tears as she begged his forgiveness.

Ren waved his hand at her, dismissing her concerns with a small smile, “Mogami-san, honestly, I doubt you could knock me down even if you tried...and it’s not as though you could see me when you came around the corner, so really, it’s not your fault.”

The LoveMe member was having none of it as she continued to bow before him, “No, I should have been watching where I was going, instead of racing blindly around the corner! I am such a horrid person!”

The smile gradually faded from the seasoned actor’s face. He was actually a bit irritated that she was speaking so lowly of herself, and that she had ignored his statement that she couldn’t have knocked him over. Really, did she have to take everything to heart and make it her fault, “Mogami-san, really, stop apologizing. I’m sure you had a valid reason to be in such a hurry.”

She was shaking her head, eyes closed as she continued to babble nonsense about how wretched she was. Ren simply bent down, and held out a hand to her, “If you keep apologizing, then I might actually be angry with you. But right now, I’m not.”

The gentle yet stern tone of his voice earned a blink as she looked up at her sempai, then glanced at his hand, which he had held out to help her stand from the dogeza. She was being selfish by asking forgiveness, she realized! How horrible of her! Again she looked down, and began to apologize, by was interrupted by the cough that came from her mentor that told her she was doing just what she had been asked not to.

Hesitantly, Kyoko took his hand and let him guide her to her feet. Ren smiled at her, holding onto her hand a bit longer than he should have, which did not escape Yashiro’s notice as the manager suppressed an excited squeal before turning around to sneak off and give the pair some privacy.

Tsuruga’s smile was genuine, and so blinding that Kyoko’s grudges seemed to wither before it. Suddenly realizing that her hand was still encased in his, she pulled it from his grasp quickly, “Umm….arigato, Tsuruga-san.”

That smile faltered slightly at the speed at which her hand withdrew, but only momentarily before he was smiling fully once again, “Of course. There’s no need to thank me, Mogami-san. Anyway, I suppose we should be going, shouldn’t we Ya...shi...ro?”

As he looked around, he noticed his distinct lack of manager, a brow twitching in annoyance. That sneaky little...they’d been on their way to lunch together, but now he was left alone with Mogami-san!

 

* * *

 

  
Yashiro hummed happily to himself as he strode down the hall, perfectly satisfied that he had given Ren the slip! True, he and his client had been on their way to lunch together, but now, Ren and Kyoko could dine together instead! And hopefully, that would lead to a confession, and romance, and...and…

Dancing in a tight, gleeful circle, the manager finally let out the excited squeal he had been holding in. His fangirl mode was really starting to kick in, as he closed his eyes and began to skip merrily along, images of lovey-dovey Kyoko and Ren dancing through his mind. Not even realizing where he was as he frolicked down the hall, he collided with a door that had suddenly swung open in front of him, and collapsed back onto his rump, head spinning, glasses askew as he looked up to see the source of his sudden impact.

“Mo! You should watch where you’re going! What kind of idiot walks into a door!” There, standing in front of the man stood Kotonami Kanae. Her appearance was slightly blurred by his off kilter glasses, but it was definitely her. The long, raven hair, confident stance, and the signature use of the phrase mo told him that. He gaped in silence, feeling like an utter idiot for having gone so far into fangirl mode that he’d run into the LoveMe section’s door as it had opened.

“Glasses-kun?” Kanae lofted a brow as she realized who it was she had been lecturing. Immediately the actress began glancing around for his almost constant companion and client, “Where’s Tsuruga-san? And how the hell did you manage to walk into the door?”

Her gaze shifted back to the manager, who was still looking at her through skewed glasses. She blinked, huffing and turning her head, “Mo! What are you looking at?”

Yashiro shook his head, blushing slightly. Why had he been staring, anyway? “N-nothing. And...I guess I was just spaced out. I apologize, Kotonami-san.”

A bow would have been offered had he been standing, as it was he simply dipped his head in her direction. The proud LoveMe member just huffed again, shrugging her shoulders as she reached out a hand to help him to his feet, “Whatever. Don’t keep sitting there, baka.”

The bespectacled man glanced at the hand a moment, a moment too long for Kanae’s patience to hold out, “Mo! Are you getting up or not!”

With a nod, Yashiro quickly gripped the offered hand. Even though she was much smaller than him, and seemed delicate, Kanae helped to pull him to his feet, only stumbling slightly in the process, “Um...arigato, Kotonami-san.”

As he straightened his glasses, the beautiful actress, for she was beautiful, that he had to admit, turned away again, her raven locks fluttering against her shoulders, “Well...don’t be so clumsy next time! What are you doing here alone, Glasses-kun? Kyoko-chan isn’t here, so-”

“I know.” He replied, mildly irritated, and yet amused at the same time, by the nickname she had given him, “I actually just left her. She’s with Ren!”

Turning to face the manager once more, Kanae narrowed her eyes. She could see the fantasizing, dreamy look in his eyes. Good grief, he was fangirling! Kyoko had been supposed to meet her for lunch! Now she was with Tsuruga, and this idiot was dreaming of them getting all lovey dovey! Well, Kanae wasn’t going to lose her best friend that easily! She started off down the hall in the direction Yashiro had obviously been coming from.

It took a few moments for the daydreaming man to realize that the girl had passed by him and was making her way toward where he had left his charge and Kyoko. In a panicked state he hurried after her. He couldn’t let their moment be interrupted! “Kotonami-san!”

She ignored him and kept walking, knowing that he was just going to ask her not to interfere, but she was going to lunch with Kyoko, dammit! Desperately, the manager lurched forward, taking hold of Kanae’s hand, “Wait! Uh, g-go to lunch with me?”

Kotonami blinked, and turned to face him. This man was much older than her, and he had just made a point of asking her to go to lunch with him. True, it was just to keep her from interfering with a possibly romantic moment between Tsuruga and Kyoko, but that blush on his face seemed to say otherwise, “What?”

“Umm...I…” What was he doing? The four years between Ren and Kyoko were one thing, but Kanae and himself had a bigger gap between them. Not to mention, he didn’t even know her that well. Yet it seemed like he had just asked her out or something? His face burned hotly, and he suddenly felt like he couldn’t breath, “Kotonami-san...will...will..you go to lunch with me?”

  
He flinched, waiting for the younger girl to slap him or scream at him for being an idiot. He highly doubted the tactic of asking her to lunch would work, but it was worth a try. Kanae looked him over as if sizing him up. He really was desperate for Ren and Kyoko to get together, wasn’t he? Just then a tune started playing on her phone, and the LoveMe girl took it from the pocket of her pink jumpsuit. Looking at the number she sighed. It was Kyoko.

The leggy beauty flipped her phone open and put it to her ear, barely having time to take a breath in preparation for greeting, and definitely not able to utter a syllable before her best friend cried out at her, “Moko-saaaan! Gomen! I am sooo sorry! I know I said we’d go to lunch together, and I’ll be there really soon, I just ran into Tsuruga-san...I guess I lost track of time and-”

“Mo! Don’t worry about it! Stop apologizing!” Moko, as her best friend had termed her, put a hand to her face, sighing again, “Actually, something’s come up, so I have to cancel lunch...but maybe you can go with Tsuruga-san or something. I don’t know.”

“What?” Kyoko sounded worried on the other side of the line, “Moko-san! Is everything alright? Did something happen? Oh my god! Moko-san, I’m coming! I’ll be right there, don’t worry!”

“Shut up! Nothing’s wrong, I just...forgot I had other plans.”” Silence from the other end of the line, “Kyoko-chan?”

“Oh...I see. Well, have fun then.” Kyoko sounded almost hurt, and no wonder, she had just been effectively ditched by her best friend. The phone was hung up on her end, and Moko fought back a guilty feeling, before turning to glare at Yashiro.

She was about to scream at him for making her upset Kyoko, but stopped short when she saw the man looking at her in surprise. The shocked look on his face slowly morphed into a giddy smile as he thought of what this meant for Ren and Kyoko...then a look of shock again. At first he had been shocked that Kanae went along with his plan, but now, he was shocked that the whole situation had even happened. He had asked her to lunch in desperation to give Ren and Kyoko some alone time...but now, he would have alone time with Kotonami! His face began to tinge red at the notion.

Watching the range of emotion he went through, Kanae couldn’t bring herself to tell him off. He was clearly trying to do what he thought was best for the pair in question. And he seemed a bit embarrassed by his earlier actions. The talento wasn’t sure whether to find that annoying, or cute. Was it so bad to be seen with her, that he had to be that embarassed, “Mo, this had better be worth it.”

Hearing her near unintelligible mutter, Yashiro seemed to come out of his shocked state, and offered her a small, slightly nervous smile. This was just a friendly luncheon. He was not a creepy pervert. And he hoped she didn’t think him one. Clearing his throat, he decided to question, “W-would you prefer to go out, or eat at the cafeteria?”

She cast him a sideways glance, “Kyoko-chan probably won’t let Tsuruga-san take her out...they’ll be in the cafeteria. So, I guess we should go out, then. But, don’t you dare try anything funny! Mo!”

Yashiro let out a sigh. So she did think he was a creepy pervert. That wasn’t what he wanted at all. It wasn’t that he was super worried about his reputation, he was just a manager, after all. But, for some reason it bothered him for this girl to think such things about him, “I wouldn’t do that, Kotonami-san.”

She could see the look of dejection on his face, hear the fact that he sounded upset by her remark. Her gaze softened some as she folded her arms over her chest, turning to step back into the locker room, “Alright then. Give me a couple minutes. I’m not going to the cafe dressed like this! Oh, and you’re paying!”

He blinked and looked up as she disappeared into the LoveMe section’s room. She’d sounded a bit more pleasant just then, as hard as she’d been trying not to. With a small smile, he leaned against the wall beside the door (on the side where he wouldn’t get hit by said door when it swung open) and waited for Kanae to change from her pink jumpsuit into her street clothes.

 

* * *

 

Kyoko sulked as she hung up her phone, Ren blinking at her from behind, “Is everything alright, Mogami-san?”

“Moko-san canceled on me!” She practically sobbed in reply, “She said she had other plans!”

“Then, since your friend has other plans, and my manager has vanished...perhaps we could have lunch together?” Ren suggested. He knew this was what Yashiro had hoped would happen when the bespectacled man had abandoned them. Really, couldn’t Yashiro just stop meddling in his love life?

“I couldn’t do that!” Kyoko replied with a gasp as she looked at her sempai, “It would inconvenience you!”

Ren smiled at her, “No, it wouldn’t. I was planning to go to lunch anyhow. Of course, if I go by myself, I’ll eat hardly anything, as usual-”

“No you won’t!” Kyoko cut him off, his ploy having worked, “Because I would never allow that! I’ll eat with you, and make sure you eat everything on your plate!”

Her sempai covered his mouth and coughed slightly to disguise a laugh.


	2. Yashiro and Kanae?! Suspicious!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yashiro heads out with Kanae to her favorite Cafe, but not without being spotted by Kyoko and Ren.

It wasn’t a very long wait before the door to the LoveMe section’s locker room swung open again and Kanae stepped out. Yashiro turned to look at her, and couldn’t help letting his gaze linger. She was pretty enough in her pink jumpsuit, but in street clothes...well...it was no wonder she was in the talent industry! She wore black leggings, and her knee high white boots, that had just enough of a heel on them to give her a slight boost in height. Her top was a white cowl neck sweater, with bits of silver woven into it. On her head she wore a newsboy style hat of the same white and silver color scheme. It was truly gorgeous! And with her jet black hair and pale skin, it was just made all the more lovely.

The young actress could feel him watching her, and shot him an agitated look as she pulled her white peacoat over top of the ensemble, “Mo! What are you staring at, Glasses-kun?”

With that, the manager turned quickly to hide the slight blush on his features. He was so embarrassed to have been caught staring. Especially at someone so much younger than him, and so far out of his league to boot, “N-nothing. I just…”

A ebon brow arched in curiosity as the female waited for him to finish his thought, but he trailed off. He was acting very strangely in her opinion, “You just what?”

Yashiro hadn’t been sure what he was going to say. He wanted to compliment her, but how could he do so without sounding like a pervert? Even without looking at Kanae he could sense her irritation, she was tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for a reply, but he dared not give one.

“Well?” She snapped at him, hands on her hips as her eyes narrowed into a glare, “I asked you a question!”

“Ah...I...I just...umm…” He was feeling more nervous by the second. This girl was so confident, and it seemed to intimidate him for some reason, “I wanted to tell...you...how nice you look…”

Again, the manager flinched, glancing at her from his peripheral as he prepared for a slap or verbal barrage. But he received neither. Instead, the young actress seemed to be staring at him, a bit dumbstruck. Why was that? Surely she’d been given compliments before. A beauty like that? It was impossible that she hadn’t been told by someone! Then, to his mortification, she burst out laughing.

“Th-that’s what you were having trouble saying?” Kanae brought a hand to her mouth trying to quickly stifle the laughter and regain her usual cool and controlled front. She wasn’t one for displays of emotion. And she couldn’t let her guard down in front of anyone. Even Kyoko rarely saw her warm side, and that was her best friend. Finally she coughed and calmed down, straightening herself, and flipping her raven locks over her shoulder as she fixed the manager with a cool, even stare, “You’re serious? What, you’ve never given a girl a compliment before, Glasses-kun?”

If he hadn’t been blushing before, Yashiro was definitely doing so now. His face was nearly crimson with embarrassment as he pushed off from his place against the wall and started walking for the exit, “Kotonami-san, we should get to that cafe you were wanting to eat at…”

His tone sounded hurt, she realized as he skulked away.Blinking she suddenly felt a bit bad. Being around someone like Tsuruga Ren all the time probably didn’t get him noticed much by women, so maybe he wasn’t very popular with them? She’d never really given it much thought. But she was sure that she’d hurt his feelings, “Hey, Glasses-kun!”

He stopped so that she could catch up, which didn’t take more than a few strides, but he didn’t look back at the teenage talento, “Yes, Kotonami-san?”

She walked after him, coming to a stop just behind where the manager stood. Somehow, she didn’t like the way he had gone from being friendly and somewhat nervous, to almost cold towards her. She shifted uncomfortably in her spot as she looked off down a side corridor, “Look...it’s...uhh…”

Yashiro blinked, turning to face her, “Kotonami-san?”

“Mo! Thanks for the compliment, okay? It was very nice of you to say!” Her face tinted pink in embarrassment as she refused to meet his gaze. Why was it so hard to just look at him and say thank you?

Pushing up his glasses, Yashiro smiled, and turned toward the exit once more, “You’re most welcome, Kotonami-san.”

Now his tone seemed pleasant again, it seemed she had been forgiven. And that relieved her, for some reason. Kanae smiled as well for a moment before putting her normal cool expression back on her face and following after the manager as they walked down the hall, and made their way to the building’s exit. The path to which just happened to pass by where the hallway to the cafeteria emerged into the hallway that led to the LoveMe section was located.

* * *

 

“Tsuruga-san, you are not paying for my meal!” Kyoko argued with her sempai, turning and heading back towards the exit of the cafeteria, “I just left my purse in the LoveMe section locker room! I can get it and be...right...back…”

The talento had frozen halfway down the hall as she had been trying to outpace the longer legged Ren in an effort to avoid letting him pay the cafeteria bill for her food. She blinked once, then twice, forgetting all about the man approaching from behind, “Mogami-san? Is everything a-”

Kyoko held up a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, and pointed down the hall. Her sempai followed her gaze, and blinked as well. There, passing by the turn that would have led them to the cafeteria, were two very familiar people. Yashiro Yukihito and Kotonami Kanae were walking towards the building’s exit together. And from the way Yashiro was smiling towards the young actress, it seemed as though they were going the same place!

“Y-yashiro-san...and Moko-san?” Kyoko murmured in surprise as soon as the pair had left the building. It was a shock! Her best friend had called off their plans so she could spend time with Tsuruga-san’s manager of all people? But why? It didn’t make any sense...unless…

Golden eyes drifted to look at her Sempai, who was calculating something in his mind. The older actor wore a bemused smile as he figured out a bit of what must have happened. Yashiro had left him alone with Mogami-san so that she and he would become closer, as the manager always wished they would. Somewhere along the line, he had met Kotonami-san, who he discovered had lunch plans with Mogami-san. Then, one way or another, the clever manager had managed to talk Kotonami-san into giving up her lunch with Mogami-san. That had to be it. But why was he still with the young, raven haired talento? That was the mystery. They had left the building together.

A mischievous look came into the star’s eye as he glanced to the blooming actress he secretly loved. He could see her looking at him curiously, and he smirked at her, “I wonder what their up to...shall we go and see?”

“Ts-Tsuruga-san! That would be spying!” Kyoko huffed at him. As curious as she was she knew that spying wasn’t right. She folder her arms over her chest and shook her head, “I will not be a part of it!”

Ren canted his head to one side, “Well...don’t you want to make sure Kotonami-san’s okay? Not that I don’t trust Yashiro to take care of her...but she is your best friend…”

Kyoko frowned some, “Yashiro-san wouldn’t hurt her…”

She hoped he wouldn’t anyway. Of course, Kyoko’s trust wasn’t the greatest when it came to men. Especially in relationships. She looked down, contemplating, “Tsuruga-san...I know he’s your manager and your friend...but...maybe it’s better just to be safe…”

Ren smiled at her, nodding, “And I know Kotonami-san is your best friend, Mogami-san. But I would still like to see just what’s going on. It might be nothing...or, who knows.”

He offered a shrug as he moved through the building. He knew Yashiro and Kanae couldn’t be too far ahead, since they were walking. It wouldn’t be too hard to keep an eye on them, especially if he had an idea of where they were going, “Where does Kotonami-san like to go for lunch?”

“Oh!” Kyoko smiled at her sempai, “Someplace healthy! There’s a cafe not too far from here where she usually orders a salad. I bet that’s where they’re heading!”

“Alright, then.” The seasoned actor pulled on a ballcap and donned a pair of sunglasses to hide his identity, pulling on his coat as he guided Kyoko back to the locker room. If her hunch proved right, then they had some time. And they would be less noticeable if the Love Me girl were in her street clothes.

**Author's Note:**

> *I am aware I over utilize certain character quirks...primarily Ren's coughing to cover a laugh. It's something he does often enough it sticks with me...And I find it adorable.
> 
> *I encourage comments, please! Constructive Criticism would be preferred. Let me know specifically what you like or what needs work so that I can improve my skill as an author. For the most effective feedback, include both enjoyable and improveable elements.
> 
> *I try my best to use correct grammar and spelling. Typos happen, but if you notice repeated incorrect usage or spelling of a word that seems likely to be error on my part, please let me know.
> 
> *I am born and raised in the USA. My local dialect may sneak in to my writing. If you don't understand for any reason something I've written, feel free to ask.
> 
> *Suggestions are welcome as always. I don't promise to use them, but I find them helpful! I will try to give credit where due! Up to Chapter 14 is already written, so it may be a while before anything is put in though!


End file.
